Michael Brecht

Professor Michael Brecht holds a faculty position at the Institute of Biology, Humboldt University Berlin, where he leads research on cellular mechanisms in sensorimotor integration using rodents and elephants as model systems. His work combines in vivo whole-cell recordings, neuroanatomical reconstructions, and behavioral analyses to study active touch, social behavior, and structure-function relationships in the brain.

• Education & Career:
  • Diploma in Biology, University of Tuebingen
  • PhD with Wolf Singer, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research
  • Postdoc with Bert Sakmann, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research
  • Assistant Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam (2005-2009)
  • Full Professor at Humboldt University Berlin (2009-present)

Research Interests: Brecht's lab focuses on sensorimotor processing, neural coding of tactile perception, and evolutionary neuroanatomy. Key projects include:

• Structure-Function Relationships: Studying how brain architecture enables tactile object recognition and motor control
• Elephant Trunk Neurobiology: Mapping the neural basis of trunk motor control and sensory specialization
• NeuroCure Initiative: Bridging basic and clinical neuroscience for memory consolidation research
• DFG SFB 1315: Comparative memory consolidation mechanisms across species

Scientific Contributions: Recent publications highlight his work on elephant brain evolution, whisker-based wind sensing, and social play neurochemistry. His lab developed DiL-CT for bimodal neural tracing and pioneered whole-cell recordings in freely moving animals.

• Awards & Funding:
  • ERC Synergy Grant (2019-2026)
  • DFG Clusters of Excellence (NeuroCure)
  • SFB 1315 (2022-2026)

Collaborations: Works with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin Zoo, and international consortia on comparative neuroanatomy and translational neuroscience.